Kerala cops arrest Pune man for cheating

The Kerala police have arrested a 38-year-old man from Vimannagar for allegedly duping a Hong Kong-based international supplier to the tune of Rs 10 lakh, under the pretext of purchasing of a radioactive form of copper worth Rs 500 crore.

Thrissur district police are now investigating his role in at least five more international cases of cheating.

According to Thrissur police, Nigel Borade, a resident of Vimannagar, allegedly conspired with Biju Francis (35), a resident of Thiruvananthapuram, to dupe the Hong Kong-based supplier of radioactive copper isotope, which is used in treatment of cancer and scientific experiments. Police said the company has its warehouse in Hong Kong.

Inspector K Sudershan of Chavakkad police station said, “The duo got in touch with Haidar Thangal from Thrissur, who is the authorised representative of the supplier. They told him that a research agency required radioactive copper for scientific experiments and wanted to purchase it from the supplier. The duo, however, told him that the company officials wanted to first do a primary inspection of the material at the warehouse in Hong Kong and demanded Rs 10 lakh from Thangal.”